


Kiss Kiss Fall In Love

by Sandyclaws68



Category: Naruto
Genre: Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, Iruka loves him anyway, KakaIru 25 Days of Kisses, Kakashi makes Iruka crazy, M/M, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Ninken Cameo Appearances, a little angsty, kkir25
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-01
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-04 09:59:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 12,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5329970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sandyclaws68/pseuds/Sandyclaws68
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twenty-five scenarios, twenty-five kisses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> There will be twenty-five "chapters", each detailing a different day and a different kiss, but they do not hang together as one story.
> 
> I blame the title on _Ouran High School Host Club_. :D

It would normally be a pleasure to walk home through the crisp evening air, but on that particular evening Iruka was hardly in a state to feel it. All he felt was a burgeoning sense of frustration that could be directly attributable to one source: the man walking at his side. The man whose shoulder brushed against his every now and again and whose warm hand cupped his elbow to gently steer him around obstacles. And every brush of shoulders and hand on an elbow sent shivers down his spine, making him want more.

Too bad Hatake Kakashi was as lazy about kissing as he was about everything else.

Tonight had been their third date, and a tiny voice inside Iruka's head couldn't help adding “official” to that description. If one counted all the times they had casually hung out with each other while out for drinks with friends, or shared a meal in the company of students. . . Well, it was practically date one hundred if looked at in that light!

Which was one of the reasons Iruka was about ready to scream in frustration. And sure, it wasn't like he needed to wait for Kakashi to kiss him, but the chuunin had made the first move in asking the other man out. It was about time that the silver-haired genius returned the favor.

“Kakashi?”

“Hmmm?”

The words Iruka wanted to say got stuck in his throat. “It's a beautiful night, isn't it?” he asked instead.

“Very,” was the reply, and if Iruka had been less caught up in his own thoughts he would have noticed how Kakashi's eyes never strayed from his face, giving a new perspective on the use of the word “beautiful”.

They passed underneath one of the enormous trees that lined the walkway, and as the shadows closed around them Iruka felt that hand on his elbow again, but this time it was holding just the tiniest bit tighter. Enough to gently stop him in his tracks and pull him around to face his date.

Who tugged his mask down to his chin as Iruka watched, eyes widening. The hand on his arm slowly slid upwards, the leather of the glove smooth against the skin of the chuunin's neck. Then that hand was on Iruka's cheek, and Kakashi was moving closer. Leaning in.

The kiss was light, a barely-there brush of lips on lips, then lips across his cheek, but it made a part of Iruka's soul sing. He wanted more – Hell, he wanted whatever Kakashi would give him! - but he could wait.

He was fairly certain it would be worth it.


	2. Greeting Kiss

Most days Iruka loved his job. He enjoyed the curiosity of the children and relished the role he played in shaping the future of the village. Teaching wasn't for everyone, but it was definitely his calling; his true shinobi way. It was both a pleasure and an honor to serve his village and his nation in such a fashion.

Most days.

Today was not one of those days. It had been, in point of fact, one of the worst days he could remember since his teaching career had begun. And while he was accustomed to a certain level of outrageous behavior as Christmas approached today had absolutely taken the cake.

And the cookies. And the pie.

Thankfully is was Friday and he was off mission room duty for the entire weekend. He was also caught up on grading and had lesson plans well in order, so could look forward to a lazy couple of days. He smiled to himself as he thought about how those days would probably be spent. Considering Kakashi was due back from a mission that day he had a feeling that leaving the bed over the weekend for anything other than food and calls of nature might not be an option.

As he approached the Academy's gate he caught a glimpse of a head of wild, silver hair and his smile transformed into a grin. _Looks like the weekend is beginning early_ , he thought to himself before coughing to get his lover's attention.

Kakashi turned and his eyes curved in their distinctive smile. Iruka walked right up to him, dropped his bag and wrapped his arm's around the other man's waist, pressing his lips against the masked neck before stretching to rub their noses together.

“Welcome home.”

Kakashi kissed the tip of Iruka's nose before bringing their foreheads together. “I'm back,” he sighed.


	3. Accidental Kiss

When the roundhouse kick came for his head Iruka was more than ready. He was able to flip backwards and away from his opponent, then pushed chakra to his hands to launch into the nearest tree, tumbling gracefully through the air as he did so.

But he should have known better. As soon as his feet made contact with the tree limb he felt the prick of a kunai's blade at the back of his neck and a smooth voice in his ears. “Dodging will only get you so far, sensei.”

Ruefully acknowledging the truth of that statement (if only to himself) Iruka jumped down from the tree and landed softly on the packed earth below. He turned around and looked up at his opponent, “I could try running away,” he suggested with a grin. “You know, live to fight another day?”

Kakashi laughed. “You could, but that has its disadvantages as well.” He went through a series of hand signs faster than Iruka could follow and then appeared on the ground, twenty yards away and blocking Iruka's path to the village. He looked impossibly smug.

“Bastard,” Iruka muttered to himself, but not with any spite. Part of the point of training with an assortment of Konoha jounin was so that he could improve his strengths, address his weaknesses, and learn how to best take advantage of all of his skills. And he had one skill that had yet to fail in bringing down one of his friends, tokujo and jounin alike. Asuma, in particular, had been laid low in spectacular fashion.

Kakashi was to be the final test, and so far everything was playing right into Iruka's hands. The jounin's reactions to every move and ploy he threw out there had been exactly as he had expected, and now the last piece had fallen into place. He snapped his hands together in the boar sign, shuriken bursting out of the ground and all aimed directly at Kakashi.

Who leaped away in a single chakra-infused bound, and landed right on top of the real trap that Iruka had set, a trap that needed direct contact with the chuunin's chakra to go off. He used the Body Flicker technique and crowded right into Kakashi's space, not giving the other man any opportunity to escape.

It was only when he felt the bite of chakra wire around his thigh that he realized his miscalculation, and by then it was too late. The wire wrapped them both up, tightening and pulling the pair of them toward the ground. Iruka managed to keep one arm free, but all he was able to do was flail ineffectually as the ground rushed up to meet him.

At the last minute Kakashi managed to shift his weight so that he didn't land directly on Iruka, but that caused the pair of them to roll when they hit the dirt. The world spun around them for a few moments, and when they came to a stop they were lying on their sides, tied together from thighs to necks, and their mouths were intimately connected, albeit with the material of Kakashi's mask in between.

Iruka jerked back as far as he could and stared wide-eyed at the jounin. Kakashi, for his part, simply smiled in approval. “Well done, sensei. I expected the first trap but didn't see this one coming.”

Their faces were still close enough that Iruka felt Kakashi's warm breath ghost over his skin when he spoke. With a blush he said “I'm sorry, Kakashi-san. It wasn't supposed to end up this way.”

Kakashi laughed, and the sound sent a jolt down the chuunin's spine. “I'll forgive you on one condition,” he said.

“What's that?”

“That once we get out of this you'll let me kiss you properly.”


	4. Blow A Kiss

It was a warmer than normal day for December, which probably accounted for the drowsy feeling in the classroom and the inattention of his students. Iruka wasn't exactly immune, either, as it had been cold enough that morning to justify an extra layer underneath his regulation shirt. Now, however, it was bordering on stifling hot, even with the windows thrown open to catch the breeze.

The lunch break had only made things worse; full bellies causing a proportional increase in sleepiness. In an effort to keep his students' attention Iruka decided to abandon what had been the afternoon's lesson plan and instead launched into the introductory lecture on the Five Elemental Nature Transformations. That unit was scheduled to begin immediately after the winter break so he didn't see a problem with giving the class a solid background a little early.

At least the dousing they all received as a result of the Water Release technique he demonstrated had, more or less, woken everybody up.

He had just set the class to copying down the notes on the subject that were on the board, including the circle diagram of how the natures related to each other, when he became aware of a presence in the tree just outside the classroom windows. It was a familiar feeling, a chakra presence that he could identify in his sleep, and one that spent an inordinate amount of time in that tree. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of silver in the branches and smiled to himself.

He took a few minutes to shuffle some papers on his desk, using the time to make sure all of the students were focused on their work. Then he turned his head slightly to look out of the window, raising the fingers of one hand to his lips for the briefest moment. Then he propped his chin in that hand's palm and bent his fingers back as far as they could go.

He pursed his lips slightly as if he was blowing something off of his hand.

The warm glow of Kakashi's chakra as it brushed against his told him the kiss was appreciated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I had to up the rating to Mature and added a few tags since some upcoming chapters go a bit beyond Teen & Up. :D


	5. Kiss On The Cheek

The mission room was unusually busy for a Sunday afternoon. It seemed like everyone was in a hurry to get as many missions done and reports filed before the brief Christmas break they would be allowed. The problem was that with everyone in that rush at the same time the lines to turn in reports were overly long, resulting in a few outbursts of angry impatience.

Kakashi was the one notable exception. When he saw the state of the room he simply wandered away, settled on one of the comfortable couches in the jounin ready room, and pulled out his book in order to wile away time until the backlog cleared. From where he was situated he could still hear Iruka's voice, cajoling, instructing, and chastising. Occasionally shouting. It was all so very familiar, and he was lulled to sleep in no time at all.

He woke up when someone lifted the book off of his chest, sliding it out from beneath his folded hands. “You've been asleep for hours,” a soft voice spoke above him, filled with a combination of affection and exasperation that never failed to cause warmth to blossom in his belly. He cracked open one eye, and then the other, focusing on Iruka's gentle smile as he sat up, rubbing the last vestiges of sleep away.

Iruka reached out with one hand and nudged Kakashi's mask down a little, just enough to deposit a lingering kiss on the other man's cheek. “Come on,” he said. “Let's get your mission report filed and then enjoy the rest of our day at home.”

That was one order that Kakashi would always obey with alacrity.


	6. Kiss On The Shoulder

“Kakashi, I. . .”

The breathlessness in Iruka's voice sent a shot of heat directly to Kakashi's groin and he moved from sucking on the chuunin's earlobe to nibbling at his lips. After so much time and so much waiting having the other man in his arms, wanting and wanton, threatened to shut down his thought processes. But he wasn't about to be selfish, not when it came to this man and this moment.

“What is it?” he breathed as his lips slid under Iruka's chin, tasting the soft skin there. “Tell me what you need.”

“I. . . _Oh God_. . .” He gasped when Kakashi licked at the hollow of his collarbone. “Please. . .”

The younger man seemed incapable of articulating his desire, but the fingers tugging Kakashi's shirt free from his pants were eloquent enough. The jounin released his hold on the other man long enough to pull both of their shirts off before catching Iruka back in his grasp. His hands roamed the expanse of the chuunin's back, reveling in the sensation of all of that warm, honey-toned skin, as his eyes skimmed across the flat planes of chest and stomach.

Then he noticed the scar on Iruka's shoulder. It was an unusual star shape, not made by any weapon as far as Kakashi could tell. He reached out with one finger, tracing the mark, grinning when he heard the other man's breath catch in his throat. “Iruka, how did you get this?”

A flush that had nothing to do with arousal stole across Iruka's cheeks. “It's, ummm. . . Well. . .” Kakashi's finger ghosted across the sensitive skin again. “ _Shit_!” he gasped out. “I . . . _Ah_. . . messed up. . . _Mmmm_. . .” The damned jounin kept caressing that spot, making speech more and more difficult. “. . . a prank when I was seven. . . got caught. . . _Oh_. . . in some barbed wire. . . _Fuck_. . . on a farm. . .”

Kakashi smiled, picturing Iruka as a child, snagged in the wire while the farmer whose land he had trespassed on cut him free, muttering about irresponsible pranksters the entire time. He stroked his fingers across the scar again, delighted at the quiver his touch provoked. “It's sensitive,” he commented, before ducking his head to kiss the spot, tongue flicking across the slightly raised flesh.

And Iruka melted against him with a moan.


	7. Kiss While Partner Is Sleeping

It had been a hellishly long day, possibly the longest one ever. By the time he shut down the mission room at eight o'clock Iruka was beyond tired, and with that came corresponding levels of impatience and irritability. And, just to ensure that the day wouldn't be allowed to improve, the cupboards and refrigerator at home were thoroughly bare.

Under ordinary circumstances that wouldn't have bothered him, but he knew that Kakashi had been released from the hospital earlier that day, with strict orders to rest as much as possible. Less strict, but no less compelling, were the orders delivered to Iruka for taking care of his lover during Kakashi's recovery. They had arrived at the mission desk on a folded piece of paper that had seemingly dropped out of nowhere.

_For God's sake get some decent food into the skinny bastard!_ the note read, and Iruka had smiled at how clearly Tsunade's frustration came across, even in writing. But it also meant that, even as tired as he was, he had to make a stop at the market and would have to cook when he finally got home. Biting back the urge to groan he locked up and left the tower, taking deep breaths of the icy air as he walked to his favorite store.

Nearly an hour later, weighed down by five bulging bags of groceries, he staggered up the walkway of the rented house they shared. He offered up a quick prayer of thanks for Kakashi's skill and creativity in the security wards at the door, which allowed it to unlock with just a touch of chakra. It was a good thing, too, as he was convinced he'd never find his keys in the mess of paraphernalia he was toting.

The house was quiet, and although he could feel Kakashi's presence inside he could also tell that the older man was sleeping, so he put away the groceries and got a start on dinner as quietly as he could. He gave his hands a quick wash at the kitchen sink before making his way down the hall to their bedroom, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw a still-sleeping jounin in the bed.

A soft, affectionate smile lifted his lips. In sleep Kakashi always looked younger than he was, and much less deadly. He lay in the center of the bed, half-twisted on his back with one leg extended out and the other bent at the knee, jutting sideways. In the small amount of space not occupied by an exhausted and chakra-depleted jounin lay Guruko and Shiba, both of whom perked up their ears and lifted their heads when Iruka entered the room.

He laid a finger on his lips, enjoining the two of them to silence, then knelt beside the bed and pressed a kiss to the mole at the corner of Kakashi's mouth, then to his lips. A soft sound of contentment escaped the jounin, and he rolled over fully onto his back, blinking sleep from his eyes and smiling as soon as he focused on Iruka.


	8. Unwanted Kiss

“Kakashi.” Iruka's voice was stern and the fingers walking up his back stilled.

“Hmmm?”

“I'm working.”

“I can see that.” The fingers resumed their progress towards his neck. Or, more likely, the collar of his shirt. “Do you need a break?”

“No, I'm fine.” Iruka sat up straighter and the fingers stopped again. “I'd rather just get the work done as soon as possible, thanks.”

The fingers reversed direction, sliding down his back toward the waistband of his pants. When they started to creep around towards his stomach, bringing the arm with them, Iruka abruptly sat forward and away from Kakashi's attempted embrace. He bit his lip to keep from smiling at the huff of frustration that came from his lover.

But Kakashi was never daunted for long. He leaned against Iruka's back and put his hands on the arms of the chair, looking over the other man's shoulder at the student papers he was grading. “Looks boring,” he sighed, making sure the words blew directly across the chuunin's sensitive ear. “I'd need a break if I had to deal with that.”

Iruka leaned back abruptly, knowing Kakashi would have to move away to avoid painful contact between their heads. “Well, it's a good thing, then, that I'm the teacher and not you.”

He could feel the frustration all but radiating off of the jounin in waves, and knew what the reaction would be. He was more than ready when Kakashi leaned in to kiss his cheek; his lips met with the exam booklet instead. When the jounin ducked around to the other side Iruka's calligraphy brush was waiting for him.

Iruka grinned as Kakashi bolted to the bathroom to get the ink out of his mouth. He'd make it up to the ass. Later.


	9. Waiting For A Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, so posting Kiss #9 on the same day as #8 for two reasons:1) These two are the only chapters that directly connect, and 2) I've got one of those days at work tomorrow that means I'll be out and about without internet access. So enjoy this bonus! :D

When all of the grading was done Iruka took his time in putting all of his things away in his bag to take to school the next morning before heading to the kitchen to wash out his tea cup. Ever since the incident with the attempted kiss and the ink Kakashi had been holed up in their bedroom. And while Iruka hesitated to use the term 'pouting' to describe the behavior of a 30-something year old genius shinobi and hardened killer there really was no other word for it.

As he approached the bedroom door he could feel Kakashi's displeasure, and a touch of impatience. Iruka knew himself well enough to recognize that he was dragging this whole thing out deliberately, mainly for the laughs but also because he knew when Kakashi did cave and forgive him the sex would be mind-blowing.

He slowly pushed the door open to be greeted by Kakashi's unmasked and glowering face. “I've been waiting,” the older man all but snarled.

Iruka felt his lips twitch. “For?”

The glower, if anything, got darker. “An apology, if nothing else.”

Iruka sat on the foot of the bed and let one hand rest heavily on Kakashi's leg, just under his pants. “I though you might have been waiting for me to make it up to you.” His thumb rubbed lazy circles around the bone of his lover's ankle. He let the smile he had been working to contain bloom when he saw a delicate flush climb toward the other man's hairline.

“How do you propose to make it up to me?” Kakashi asked, voice a little rougher and huskier than normal. His eyes were riveted on Iruka's hand as it disappeared up his pant leg.

“Oh, you know.” Iruka removed his hand from Kakashi's leg and stood for a moment, smile turning sultry. “The usual way.” He knelt on the end of the bed before crawling towards the head, keeping his eyes on his lover's mouth. When he was close enough he pushed one hand under Kakashi's shirt, enjoying the quivering of the stomach muscles. “How would you like me to make it up to you?” he whispered when their faces were barely an inch apart.

There was a long pause as their eyes met and held, and then Kakashi burst out laughing, as Iruka had known he would. The jounin's long arms wrapped around the other man and pulled him close, rolling on the bed till Iruka lay on his back. “Do I get the kiss I've been waiting for?” he asked, leaning close enough for their noses to touch.

Iruka tangled his fingers in the messy silver hair. “That, and whatever else you want.”


	10. Surprise Kiss

Generally speaking Iruka hated crowds. Any shinobi worth a damn did. Crowds were dangerous, full of too many people and too many opportunities for swift, sudden, and covert attacks.

But he made an exception during the holidays. The main market district of Konoha was normally an area full of plain, nondescript buildings, but at Christmas it became a wonderland of lights, decorations, holly and mistletoe. A few discreet water jutsus had the eaves of certain shops adorned with icicles, and the smell of delightful treats baking filled the air.

For all of that Iruka was more than willing to brave the crowd for the sake of his Christmas shopping.

He was standing in front of the confectioner's shop, debating the merits of brandy filled chocolates versus candied cherries soaked in sake for Tsunade when he felt a light, but unmistakable, touch on his ass. He spun around, but none of the other people in the crowd were close enough to have laid a hand on him. Still, he trusted his instincts and knew he hadn't been mistaken. He moved further down the street, stopping to admire the enormous gingerbread house on display at the bakery.

This time it was on the back of his neck, and not a brush of fingers. A quick, barely there kiss, but it was enough. He smiled slightly to himself, raising a hand to rub the nape of his neck before continuing down the street.

Outside the florist's it was a quick squeeze of his hand. When he stopped at Kakashi's favorite weapon-smith came a kiss on his left cheek. At the stationer's a distinct tug on his ponytail. When he slipped into his favorite dango stall he felt a rush of air behind him, as if his mystery ( _Yeah, right!_ ) assailant had made his latest move and been thrown by Iruka's quick action in entering the shop. He was smiling widely as he waited for an order of mitarashi dango, knowing what would greet him when he exited the stall.

He was out in the cool December air, ready for what he expected to happen next. With his senses focused he could feel the tiniest surge of familiar chakra approaching his right side, and at the last second turned his head so that instead of brushing his cheek Kakashi's lips landed squarely on his.

Iruka grinned. “Gotcha.”


	11. You're Safe & Alive Kiss

Kakashi had long ago decided that C-rank missions were the worst. They always seemed so simple on the surface, but anything and everything could go wrong. Dishonest clients were usually the worst offenders, underestimating the possible dangers so they could pay less money. He could never forget Team 7's first C-rank to the Land of Waves and everything that had grown out of that.

And now he sat in the hospital, in one of the anterooms outside a surgical theater, waiting to hear news of the man he loved. Iruka had been out of the village on a mission for the last two days, the captain of a team of newly minted chuunin on what was supposed to be a simple courier run. In typical C-rank fashion it had all gone to hell rather quickly. The exact circumstances of what had gone wrong were still unknown, but Iruka had been carried to Konoha on the back of one of his fourteen year old teammates, unconscious and bloody.

The medic on duty had done his best, but it quickly became obvious the case was beyond his skills. Tsunade had been called in immediately, and she hadn't hesitated to get a message to Kakashi. That had been three hours ago, and he had been sitting in the uncomfortable chair ever since.

He was half asleep, head nodding forward toward his chest, when the light over the surgery door blinked out. He started when the door banged against the wall and got to his feet, hand already reaching for a kunai before his brain caught up with with his body. He smiled sheepishly as he slipped the weapon back into its holster.

Tsunade glared at him. “He'll be fine,” she said without preamble. “The internal damage was a bit worse than originally thought and we needed to close things up with some chakra stitches, but there should be no problems with healing.” She jerked her head to indicate the corridor behind her. “He's in recovery; you can sit with him if you promise to not drive the nurses crazy.”

The recovery room was bare of amenities; Kakashi had to drag a chair in from the hallway. He sat at Iruka's bedside, watching the rise and fall of his chest with each breath and trying not to panic at how pale the other man looked. Nearly forty minutes went by before Iruka shifted on the bed with a soft moan, blinking his bleary eyes.

“Kakashi. . .”

The older man slid off his chair and knelt beside the bed, taking the chuunin's hands in his. He touched their foreheads together before kissing Iruka's cheek, just where the scar crossed it. “You're safe; you're alive,” he breathed, his shaky voice filled with his relief and joy.

The hands in his tightened.


	12. Upside Down Kiss

Pranks and practical jokes never really stopped in Konoha, not even for Christmas. Of course, the fact that such events took a distinct upswing during the holidays could be directly attributed to one particular chuunin having time off from his teaching. That fact was only known to a few people, though, and Iruka preferred to keep it that way.

His current activities, however, had nothing to do with playing pranks. He and Kakashi had woken up that morning to a fresh snowfall and a full day off to spend together, but instead of a long walk through the snow covered forest or a playful snowball fight Kakashi had suggested that they use their time to practice surveillance techniques. The adverse conditions of snow on the ground were an ideal opportunity, he had said.

Iruka had been reluctant, until Kakashi had suggested a target. The thought of turning the tables on Naruto, who made a habit of trailing after them whenever they had some alone time and interfering in annoying ways, was irresistible. Which was how he had come to be where he currently was, chakra-stuck to the underside of a roof across the street from Ichiraku Ramen, watching an endearingly awkward Naruto on what was beyond doubt a date with Hinata.

“Were we ever that bad?” a voice beneath him asked.

Iruka turned his head and saw Kakashi apparently melt away from the wall as he released the Chameleon Jutsu that had hidden him. He grinned. “Maybe,” he replied. “I seem to remember a few uncomfortable dates at the beginning.”

“Hmmm.” Kakashi took a step closer as Iruka turned fully around. Their relative positions brought their faces close, Iruka's nose brushing against Kakashi's masked chin. “This is certainly not the most comfortable -”

“Oh, shut up,” Iruka groused before pushing the mask out of the way and bringing their lips together.


	13. Deflected Kiss

Iruka always insisted on strictly proper behavior in any professional setting, despite the intensity of their personal relationship. Most of the time it wasn't an issue, as Kakashi agreed with that approach. And when their friend Genma had joked that the whole of Konoha knew that they were “rutting like two prized stags” Iruka had silenced him with his patented teacher's glare. It wasn't about whether or not people knew of their relationship; it was the principle of the thing.

But every now and then, especially after difficult and exhausting missions, Kakashi would forget himself and attempt to go just the tiniest bit overboard. When it happened in the jounin ready room, or the small staff lounge, or even in the corridor outside the Hokage's office Iruka's reaction was usually not all that severe. He didn't encourage the behavior, but he also didn't back away from any of those hugs and kisses.

His classroom, however, was a different story.

Which was why he was currently eluding his long-armed lover with all of the grace of a prima ballerina; twisting, turning, spinning, and even leaping when required. He executed a textbook perfect back flip and landed on one of the desks at the top of the rows, startling the students who sat there and earning himself a pitiful, kicked puppy look from Kakashi.

“I hope you all are taking notes on evasion tactics,” Iruka addressed the classroom at large, stifling a laugh as twenty heads quickly bent over their notebooks. He jumped down off of the desk where he was standing and flickered to the front of the classroom just as Kakashi moved to where he expected Iruka to be.

“Iruka-sensei?” a tentative voice spoke and a hand went up. “Why are you working so hard to evade Hatake-san?”

“Yes, sensei. Why?” Kakashi asked, his voice a low, silky purr that shivered down Iruka's spine.

And in that brief moment of distraction the jounin made his final move, slipping in close to the teacher and swooping in for a kiss. But Iruka's many years of dealing with Kakashi stood him in good stead, and he easily turned his face away. The kiss that was intended for his lips was deflected across his cheek.

Kakashi chuckled quietly, acknowledging that he had been bested, but the gleam in his eye told Iruka that they would continue this “discussion” at home.

He could hardly wait.


	14. Kiss On A Dare

Genma and Raidou's Christmas party was always an experience, but not always in the way the two tokujo intended. It was one of Iruka's favorite parts of the holidays in Konoha, mainly for the mountains of (potential) blackmail material that came out of watching his colleagues' drunken antics. He wasn't likely to ever forget the time that Aoba confessed his undying love for Anko immediately before throwing up on her shoes. Or the year that Asuma had been challenged to smoke an entire pack of cigarettes in the span of one hour and stayed an interesting shade of green for nearly a week.

This year, though, he was feeling distinctly uncomfortable. It was probably due to the unusual amount of attention he was receiving, but the cause was just as likely to be the presence of Hatake Kakashi.

Crushing on the Copy Nin was not a position Iruka had ever expected to find himself in, especially after their heated argument before the chuunin exams. But during all of the chaos that followed – the Sound invasion and Sandaime-sama's death – he had seen that there was so very much more to the jounin than the lazy, uncaring persona he projected. Kakashi had shown himself to be determined, commanding, and genuinely dedicated to the welfare of the village and to Iruka it was all a potent combination

“Good evening, sensei.”

Iruka managed to not choke on his punch, but it was a close thing. He turned his head and was met with the gleaming eyes and sparkling teeth of Maito Gai, whom he greeted with a nod.

On a scale of one to ten Gai's smile rated an eleven. “You do not seem to be your usual self this evening, Iruka-sensei.” He glanced over his shoulder to where Kakashi was standing, deep in conversation with Kurenai, and Iruka felt something squirm in his stomach.

“Gai-san. . .”

“I think, perhaps, that you are suffering the pangs of Youthful Affection for my Esteemed Rival,” Gai went on. Iruka winced at what the jounin clearly thought was a whisper but could be clearly heard almost anywhere in the room. “Perhaps a small challenge would help break the ice,” he suggested with an even (Was it possible?) wider grin.

Gai moved away from Iruka before the chuunin could stop him and went to stand on a nearby ottoman. He used a spoon he had grabbed from somewhere to rap on the side of his glass, clearing his throat at the same time until he had everyone's attention. “I propose a challenge!” he announced, making Kakashi sigh and roll his visible eye. “Not you, my Eternal Rival! This one is for our honored Academy sensei!” He turned to face Iruka. “The challenge is to make your feelings towards someone is this room known.” Gai winked as Iruka brightened, clearly thinking he was getting off lightly. “With a kiss,” he concluded.

Iruka scowled. The challenge was ambiguous enough; he could choose Anko and present her with a brotherly kiss on the cheek, or a respectful kiss on the hand for Shizune. But he knew exactly what (or who) Gai was getting at, and he had just enough alcohol in his system to wonder at the possibility. And before he could think twice he tossed back what remained of his glass of punch and walked up to Kakashi.

Kakashi's eye widened as the sensei approached him, vowing to never - NEVER – again confide in Gai when he found someone attractive. But then his heart started beating faster in his chest. Surely Gai would not have set this up if he didn't suspect that the attraction was reciprocated? And judging by the flush on Iruka's face it was definitely that.

“Kakashi-san,” the chuunin whispered when they stood face-to-face. Then, before Kakashi could say a word, Iruka's hands were cradling his cheeks and a warm pair of lips were meeting his through the fabric of the mask.

Kakashi didn't react, and Iruka broke the kiss and pulled away, clearly disappointed. But then one of Kakashi's hands shot out and settled on the chuunin's hip, halting Iruka's motion. He leaned close, and the younger man saw one of his fingers hook in the fabric of his mask, beginning to pull it down.

“If you want me to know your feelings, sensei, you could at least give me a real kiss.” Then the mask was gone.


	15. Kiss While Being Carried

The throbbing in Iruka's head told him that something was not-quite-right. It was, yet wasn't, a familiar feeling. The last time he had skated so close to the edge of chakra exhaustion had been during his last, successful, chuunin exam, and that was because of all the traps he had used against his final opponent.

That wasn't the case this time. Traps and barriers were the basis of his fighting style, but lately he had been feeling the need to up his game in other ways. And while he wasn't known for pushing himself ridiculously hard in his training some things were too important to go easy on himself. But maybe trying to master a Class A Katon jutsu was a little too much. . .

He took a deep breath and tried to rise to his feet, but his legs felt like overcooked noodles and his head spun with renewed vigor. The ground approached a little too quickly as he lost his balance, and Iruka just closed his eyes and waited for that inevitable, and painful, contact.

But a pair of warm arms caught and held him before he could drop to the ground. “Easy, sensei,” a familiar and much loved voice said. Iruka didn't respond; he just smiled and nuzzled against a cloth covered neck before blackness overcame him.

When Iruka came back to awareness it was because an unusual rocking motion had made his head bounce against a shoulder. He blinked his eyes for a few moments to try and rid his vision of fuzziness before he realized that the “fuzziness” was actually a mess of silver hair obscuring his eyes. And the rocking motion was because he was cradled in Kakashi's arms, pressed against his chest, as the older man walked across the training field towards their house.

“You can put me down now,” Iruka said, matter-of-factly. “I'm pretty sure I can walk the rest of the way."

Kakashi made a noise that sounded like a cross between an exasperated sigh and a loving chuckle. “Nuh-uh,” he said. The shake of his head brushed his hair across Iruka's face. “I don't often get you all limp and helpless in my arms; let me enjoy it while I can.”

Iruka stiffened. “I am not helpless!” he exclaimed, but the sudden movement of trying to push himself away from his lover caused his brain to start swimming again, so with a groan he laid his head on Kakashi's shoulder.

Who smiled and brushed his lips across the chuunin's forehead before capturing Iruka's lips in a soft, gentle kiss. “Just let me take care of you, for once,” he whispered, burying his nose in the soft skin behind the other man's ear.

Iruka sighed and relaxed into Kakashi's hold. Being taken care of sounded like the best idea he had heard all day.


	16. Pulled Into A Kiss

_Fucking solo D-ranks!_ , Iruka thought to himself. _Fucking damned courier missions!_

“Fuck!” he exclaimed out loud as he splashed through the shallow stream and climbed the steep bank before leaping back into the boughs of the nearest tree. Since the moment he had left Konoha just over thirty-six hours ago nothing had gone right with this god forsaken mission. Picking up his two new “friends” somewhere along the way was probably the worst part. He wasn't exactly sure who they were since they didn't appear to be affiliated with any hidden village, but both the man and the woman had clearly received some shinobi training at one point.

He knew he was near the village boundaries, but it wasn't a very cheering thought. He was on the edge of exhaustion and nearly out of weapons. Not even his cleverest traps seemed to make any difference to the pair chasing him. If they would only come in close enough to each other he was fairly certain he could catch them in one his specialty barriers, but they seemed to have a sixth sense for that and stayed far enough apart. And he didn't have enough chakra left for two barriers.

He did, however, have more than enough left for a flare that could bring some help his way. He took one deep, calming breath, focused his heart and mind, then pushed outward, sending a pulse of chakra toward the village. Toward one person in particular.

A split second later he heard the excited barking of a pack of dogs and was shocked for a moment before he realized what it meant. Kakashi, in his usual fashion, had been impatient for Iruka's return and was keeping watch. He would have felt the fight between the chuunin and the rogues as they approached Konoha and dispatched the ninken. Now they were simply responding to his chakra flare as it confirmed his location.

All those thoughts ran through his head in less time than one would think, and even as he thought Akino and Urushi burst from the bushes below where he was hidden in the tree, teeth bared and snarling. There was a flurry of angry barking to his right, then the unmistakable sound of a raikiri exploding through a tree trunk. Then silence.

Iruka jumped down from the tree and knelt to give Urushi and Akino quick strokes of praise. When he rose to his feet again he felt a presence drawing close to his back. “I hope you kept at least one of them alive,” he said, a touch of humor lacing his tone. “You know how much Ibiki hates trying to extract intel from corpses.”

There was a soft laugh behind him. “They're both alive, but when they regain consciousness they may wish they weren't.” A hand in a familiar glove rested gently on his shoulder. “Are you all right?” Kakashi asked, concerned.

Iruka nodded and turned to face the jounin. “Tired, a bit more chakra depleted than I'm used to, but unhurt.” He hooked a hand in Kakashi's flak vest and pulled the older man in to press against him. “And I am very happy to see you,” he whispered before closing the last gap between them for a kiss.


	17. Jealous Kiss

The attache from Kirigakure was tall and lean, with an impressive head of thick, dark hair. He was attractive and witty, flirtatious and charming. Nearly everyone at the reception was figuratively eating out of the palm of his hand.

Kakashi had hated the man on sight.

Not that he was allowed to show it. No, Tsunade would kill him if he showed obvious and outright dislike and disgust with the man. And while his mask was an effective tool for concealing emotions he knew that what he felt would be blazing in his eyes, so he stayed on the opposite side of the room and did his best to keep his back turned while focusing on holding up his own end of numerous inane conversations. Did his best to be diplomatic. It was good practice, Tsunade always reminded him, for when she finally stepped aside and he became Hokage.

But when he heard Iruka's low, almost sultry chuckle his control nearly broke. Tsunade took hold of his arm, fingernails digging in through layers of fabric, and dragged him away with a brief bow and request that they be excused. When he came out of his red-visioned stupor they were in the tiny anteroom that the caterers were using to stage their trays of food and drinks.

“Don't do it,” Tsunade said in a barely audible growl. “I mean it, Hatake. Do not jeopardize these negotiations.”

Kakashi sucked in a breath. “But, Iruka -”

She gave him a knuckle thump on the top of his head. “Is here because I asked him to be. You know how skilled he is in these sorts of diplomatic situations. He'll smooth the way so that everything is that much easier when we actually sit down to thrash out a new trade agreement.”

“That bastard is flirting with him,” Kakashi snarled, making Tsunade laugh.

“Yes, he is, and he's completely unaware that Iruka is cataloging his weaknesses as they go along.”

Kakashi wanted to argue more but he couldn't deny a word that his Hokage had said. Iruka _was_ the best at this sort of thing. “Fine,” he grumbled. “But if that jackass lays one finger -”

“Then you can take his head off, but not one moment sooner,” Tsunade agreed, pushing the jounin back through the curtain and into the main reception room.

Just in time to see the Mist attache reach out and run a finger across the scar on Iruka's nose.

“ _Shit_!“ Tsunade breathed. She tried to catch hold of Kakashi again but the man was a master at moving quickly, and before she could do anything he was across the room and at Iruka's side.

Kakashi barely acknowledged the attache with a nod before he turned to Iruka and tugged his mask down. He caught the chuunin in his arms and kissed him, long, slow, and deep. When they finally parted you could have heard a pin drop in the room.

Iruka kept his eyes closed as he licked his lips, chasing the taste and feel of Kakashi. “Mmmm,” he sighed, tightening his hold on the jounin. “Jealous is a good look for you, 'kashi.”


	18. Sneak A Kiss

Even from halfway down the hall Iruka could tell that something was wrong in the mission room. The noise level was beyond ridiculous even for someone like him, who spent most of his working life wrangling loud, boisterous children. And the closer he got the more interested he became; it was rare that he had an opportunity to observe the room's chaos from the line instead of behind the desk. His fingers all but itched to be on the other side, straightening out whatever the problem was and making things run smoothly. But he had agreed to watch over Genma's genin team while the tokujo was sick, and he wouldn't go back on his word to a friend.

Still, given the length of the line and the chaos inside the Mission Room he saw no reason to keep three exhausted twelve year olds there. He dismissed the team, with orders to make sure that their multiple scratches and bruises were tended to. He smiled as the trio walked away, leaning on each other; chasing down the cat belonging to the Daimyo's wife hadn't gotten any easier over the years.

There were so many people in the room that Iruka couldn't catch a glimpse of who was manning the desk, so he gave up on that and leaned against the wall, half-dozing. He was startled out of his impromptu snooze by a loud, familiar voice. “If there are any more half-assed excuses for shinobi in this room who have not managed to read the _simple_ instructions for filling out Section 4 of the report you may as well leave now!”

Iruka laughed out loud; luckily the sound was covered by the overall grumbling and the feet shuffling of almost a dozen people leaving the room. He had made the same comment in a similarly crowded Mission Room barely a week ago. Apparently the idiots had _still_ not read the new instructions.

And now he knew what was causing the delays and the chaos. Or at least he knew who.

When he got up to the desk he laid his immaculate report (complete with properly filled out Section 4) in front of the silver-haired jounin supervising the desk. He pressed his hands on the surface of the table and leaned forward. “Hey cutie. When do you get off?”

The fact that his words startled Kakashi said more about the other man's distraction than anything Iruka might have done. But he recovered quickly and grimaced. “I thought the first time I threatened to punch somebody in the throat that Tsunade would let me out of this,” he said. “But no such luck; she insists that I need to learn all about village bureaucracy from the inside.” He picked up Iruka's report and quickly checked it over. “Thank Shodai-sama!” he breathed. “Section 4 is filled out correctly!” He stamped it and filed it in the in-coming bin for D-ranks. “And to answer your question I get off in an hour,” he added with one quick glance at the chuunin's crotch.

Iruka licked his suddenly dry lips and felt a twist of heat in his gut when Kakashi's eyes followed that tiny movement. “Sushi?” he suggested breathlessly.

Kakashi's eyes curved in their typical smile. “I'll see you there.”

Iruka lifted his hands from the surface of the table and hooked a finger in Kakashi's mask. He glanced around the room to make sure no one was looking before pulling the fabric down and kissing Kakashi quickly, tongue barely flicking at the seam of the jounin's lips. Kakashi bit back a moan when Iruka pulled away with a smile.

“Appetizer,” he explained.


	19. Missing A Kiss

_There were fingers gently gliding through his hair and a soft voice whispering loving nonsense into his ear. Quick, almost delicate kisses were peppered in a line from his ear to just underneath his jaw, followed by a warm, lingering kiss pressed to the corner of his mouth. Warm breath ghosted across his lips, and he lifted his head just the tiniest bit. . ._

Iruka opened his eyes to the dull grey light of an early, December morning. He was bundled under the comforter but still felt cold. He knew it was because half of the bed was empty.

Well, almost empty. He sat up, pushing his hair out of his eyes, and gazed down at the bed's other occupant. Although clearly still asleep the miniature pug seemed to sense Iruka's wakefulness and rolled over, exposing his belly. With a huff of laughter he granted Pakkun's unspoken request for a belly rub, only stopping when the pug finally opened his eyes. “Thanks, sensei,” Pakkun said as he rose and stretched. “You're better than an alarm clock any day.”

Iruka laughed and rose from the bed, knowing Pakkun would follow him. He wasn't exactly sure why Kakashi always left the pug behind to keep an eye on him, but Iruka had a feeling it was connected to Pakkun's age. He was the oldest of all the ninken, and had been with Kakashi the longest, and maybe – just maybe – he was slowing down a bit. Perhaps just a little too slow to go on every mission. Not that Iruka would ever say any of that out loud.

It wasn't long before he was seated at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, watching the sunrise as Pakkun crunched through his breakfast. He got so lost in his thoughts that he wasn't aware that the ninken had asked him a question until a paw lightly smacked him on the chin. He brought his attention back to the present with a shake of his head, dutifully ignoring Pakkun's doggie smirk.

“You miss him, don't you?” the ninken asked as he sat on the table.

Iruka thought back to the dream he was having when he awoke - the quick kisses along his jawline, the press of warm lips at the corner of his mouth, and the promise of more to come – and sighed into his tea. “Every single minute of every day,” he whispered.

****~**~**~**~**~****

_Warm arms wrapped around him and held him close, warm breath lifting his hair and tickling his ear. The glide of a hot tongue towards his mouth, licking at his lips before pushing inside to tangle with his. The silken pressure of lips on his and that tongue memorizing his taste all over again. . ._

Kakashi woke up to Shiba licking his face and had to force down a surge of disappointment. He hated when he got pulled out of a dream like this, but he knew he had to get up and get moving. “Do I at least have time to make some coffee?” he asked, voice still rough from sleep.

“Barely,” Shiba barked with a laugh. Then he grew serious. “Sorry to wake you like that, boss.”

Kakashi smiled and ruffled the ninken's ears. “It's okay; I needed to get up. I wouldn't have said no to five more minutes, though.” He looked off into the distance. Toward Konoha. “It was a good dream.”

Shiba leaned against his side and pushed his nose against Kakashi's neck. “I miss him too, boss,” he said quietly.

Kakashi draped an arm around his canine companion. “I know you do.”

Just not in the same way.


	20. Kiss On The Hand

A cold wind blew across the open space of Training Ground #3, making the figure beside the memorial shiver in response. Kakashi had become much less compulsive about visiting the stone since the war; his own, most persistent, ghosts finally being laid to rest. There were plenty of familiar names on it, friends and comrades to honor, so he still felt the need. The pain of several freshly inscribed names also reminded him of just how lucky he was that he hadn't joined them. Not yet, anyway.

But it was getting progressively colder, so with a silent apology to all of the names he cut short his visit and turned to leave. As had become his habit since the end of the war the last thing he did was touch the fingers of one hand to two particular names – Umino Ikkaku and Umino Kohari – in a benediction. It was the only way he would ever be able to thank them for their son.

Iruka was still asleep when he returned to their home. Or at least he was still in bed, judging by the Iruka-shaped lump under the covers. All that was visible was a lock of hair spread on the white pillowcase and his left hand. It was just outside the cocoon of blankets, palm up and fingers lightly curved. The silver ring that Kakashi had placed there the day before gleamed in the early morning light.

On impulse he bent and kissed Iruka's palm, smiling against the warm skin when the fingers twitched before pressing against his cheek. “Your lips are cold,” said a sleepy voice from under the covers.

Kakashi rubbed his nose against the warm palm. “So's the rest of me,” he replied. “That's why I'm resisting the urge to crawl in there with you; I might get kicked for my trouble.”

The pile of blankets shifted, lifting up. “Get in here,” Iruka ordered, his voice rough with the remnants of sleep and what might have been desire. “I promise not to kick you.”


	21. Comforting While Crying Kiss

It was a day that neither of them ever thought they'd see. But it was, Iruka supposed, inevitable. Old age eventually claimed everything, and although ninken generally had exceptionally long life spans even that had a limit.

He looked at Kakashi from the corner of his eye, seeking some sign that the other man had absorbed Inuzuka Hana's words. He wasn't sure that he had, completely, but he had heard the final, unspoken, conclusion. A choice needed to be made; either end it now or let it go for what might be a couple of months while his small body was wracked with almost constant pain.

“I”m sorry, Kakashi,” Hana said, laying a hand on his shoulder. “I'll leave the two of you alone to decide.”

When the door closed quietly behind her Iruka looked at the man who had been his friend, his partner, and his lover for so many years. But Kakashi's grief-stricken face was barely recognizable. “I. . . I d d d. . .don't. . . know what to do.” he whispered, stuttering in his anguish.

Iruka blinked back his tears. “I can't make this decision for you, Kakashi,” he softly said, reaching out to cup the back of his lover's head with one hand and bringing their foreheads together.

“Listen up, you two,” a gruff voice wheezed from the bed in the corner. “No one is making this decision except me. So get Hana back in here.” He laughed at the looks on their faces and met Kakashi's gaze squarely. “Don't look like that, pup,” he said, voice still wheezing in his throat. “You know this isn't the end; when the next person signs the summoning contract I'll be back. Just. . .” He blinked several times. “Just make sure you choose a good one, okay?”

They stayed in the room, sitting beside the dog bed, until Pakkun breathed his last. Iruka wept silently the entire time, unashamed of the tears that left snail tracks on his face. Kakashi kept up a stoic facade, but when the tiny body disappeared in a puff of smoke he broke down, sobbing and all but throwing himself against Iruka.

Iruka held his lover tight, feeling the dampness of the other man's tears soaking through his shirt. He rubbed Kakashi's heaving back, soothing him as one would a child, and whispering whatever words of comfort he could find. When the first storm of grief subsided he pushed the hair back from Kakashi's face and kissed his forehead, then the scar underneath his left eye, tasting the salt of tears.

***~**~**~**~**~****

Three days later Kakashi set out for Training Ground #6 with the summoning scroll under one arm and thirteen year old Uzumaki Himawari at his heels.


	22. Angry Kiss

Iruka rubbed the back of his neck and thought about all the things in his life that caused him stress. Obviously being a teacher ranked fairly high on the list; the constant state of alertness required to dodge shuriken thrown by seven year olds would take its toll on anyone's nerves. Worry and concern for friends and comrades were also a factor. Keeping up with his personal training on top of everything else he did each day was definitely an issue, but since the physical exhaustion that came with that allowed him to sleep well he counted it as a plus.

But if he had to pick just one thing as a stressor - one thing to regard as the most jaw-clenching, teeth-grinding, headache-behind-the-eyes, blood-pressure-raising problem in his life – it would have to be working in the Mission Room. Squabbling genin, impatient chuunin, crazy jounin passing out because they were too busy acting tough to go to the damned hospital. . .

Okay, so that last bit was one particular jounin, but Iruka still felt his complaint was valid. And if it wasn't bodies dropping like flies because of injuries or chakra exhaustion it was messy, mud-spattered, misspelled, and incorrectly filled out mission reports. Turned in late.

Which brought his thoughts back around to why he was sitting in the Mission Room, alone, at just after ten o'clock at night when the office should have been closed two hours ago. Tsunade had asked him to stay late, explaining that a jounin was due back that evening from an S-rank mission with extremely time-sensitive information, the sort of information that Iruka had the security clearance to handle. The fact that she hadn't mentioned a name was more than enough of a clue for Iruka, who knew exactly who he was waiting on.

Hatake Kakashi. Also known as the undisputed champion of causing Iruka stress. No one else in the whole of Konoha even came close. Not even Naruto at his worst, and _that_ was saying something. Of course, finding the aggravating asshole attractive tended to make things worse, but that was something Iruka would never – not even under torture – admit to.

So it was somewhat understandable that Iruka was simmering with anger by ten-thirty that evening. Fully expected that he was bubbling with it when Kakashi strolled into the office at a quarter past eleven. And when he laid eyes on the mangled scroll covered in the jounin's trademark damn-near-indecipherable handwriting ( _And was that dog drool?_ ) all that anger boiled over. He rose from his chair and stared at the older man for a moment, hand clenching around the report scroll. The, quick as lightning, he hit Kakashi on the side of the head with it.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he shouted, shaking the scroll in the other man's face. “It's not enough that I've been here for an extra three and a quarter hours, but when you do show up you're moving at the pace of an arthritic snail and then you hand me THIS?!” He threw the scroll at Kakashi's head. “What will it take to get a decent report out of you? You do know that properly tending to your administrative duties is just as important as any work you do in the field, right? I'm sick and damned tired of trying to fix your fuck-ups! I. . . I. . .” Iruka's angry speech stuttered to a stop as another, equally overwhelming, emotion rose up in him. He leaned across the desk, grabbed the jounin's flak vest, yanked him close (and almost off his feet) and kissed him.

It was quick, hard, and undeniably angry, and when he pulled away it was difficult to tell who was more surprised by the action, Kakashi or Iruka himself. But Iruka was absolutely more surprised when Kakashi pulled down his mask, grabbed hold of the chuunin, and returned the gesture.

It was lingering, soft, and – _Oh God!_ \- brain-meltingly hot. Iruka moaned softly in his throat when he felt the press of a warm tongue against his lips, and he didn't hesitate. His lips parted as his arms reached as far around Kakashi as they could, considering the desk in between them. Kakashi growled in approval and slanted his head the tiniest bit.

Everything became a blur after that; a blur of lips and tongues and hands underneath shirts. Iruka had to blink several times when the kiss ended, trying to bring the room back into focus. “You still have to fix that report,” he whispered, stepping back and trying to straighten his disheveled clothing.

Kakashi leaned forward, hands pressed to the surface of the desk, a grin on his still unmasked face. “Anyone ever tell you how fucking sexy you are when angry, sensei?”

Iruka threw a pen at him.


	23. Public Kiss

It didn't happen often, but there were times when the only person suitable for a particular mission was Umino Iruka. The combination of his warmhearted personality and skill in diplomatic maneuvering made him the ideal choice whenever a light touch was required. But even when she had little choice Tsunade disliked sending the teacher out for extended periods of time, if for no other reason than Iruka's absence caused a sulky Kakashi.

Using sulky to describe one of the deadliest shinobi in all of the Five Nations might strike some as odd, but those people weren't looking at him at that moment. Even from behind her desk and through his mask Tsunade could see his pout, and when she held out the mission scroll he looked at it with disdain.

“Not one word, brat,” she said, pre-empting any comment he might make. “It's a quick, four hour delivery run to the manor where the Daimyo is spending Christmas, and he specifically asked for you.”

Kakashi slouched forward and took the scroll from her. “But -”

“No buts,” the Hokage barked out, then a smile softened her face. “You'll be back before him, as long as you get moving. And by get moving I mean leave. Now.”

It took just over an hour to get there, and then another hour spent in mindless small talk with the Daimyo. Even with all of that he was ahead of schedule, so Kakashi took his time on the return trip in the hopes that he might connect with Iruka outside the village gates. The younger man had been gone for over a month, and some reunions were best conducted in private.

But luck wasn't with him, and he walked through the gate feeling even more irritable (and yes, sulky) than when he had left. It had been a simple C rank mission so he could have left the report with Izumo and Kotetsu, but the crowd of people outside the guardhouse convinced him otherwise. With a sigh he turned away and headed towards the tower.

“I've been gone for five weeks and this is how you greet me when I get home?”

Kakashi's head snapped up and his shoulders straightened at the sound of that voice behind him. “You dislike public displays of affection,” he said.

Iruka grinned and executed a textbook perfect Body Flicker, reappearing directly in front of Kakashi, who still had his back turned to the guardhouse. “I'm willing to make an exception in this case,” he whispered before tugging the mask down and kissing the jounin for all he was worth.

Wolf whistles and cat calls erupted from the people gathered just inside the gate, a cacophony in which Izumo's and Kotetsu's voices were the loudest.

Iruka flipped them off behind his lover's back without breaking the kiss.


	24. Mistletoe Kiss

Christmas Eve was always a festive occasion in Konoha. Most of the shops and restaurants stayed open until at least midnight, creating an almost street carnival atmosphere in the main shopping district. There were games and contests of strength, free candy for the children, and magic reindeer food that would soon adorn almost every roof in the village.

But the highlight of the celebrations was the spectacular party held every year in the Hokage Tower. The doors of all of the large assembly rooms were thrown open, making the entire bottom floor of the building into a series of interconnected chambers, each one decorated in a different theme based on a Christmas carol. There was plentiful food, more than plentiful booze, music, dancing, and enough revelry to make even the most overly hardened shinobi smile.

Iruka was not an overly hardened shinobi. But he wasn't smiling, either. It was the first Christmas since Kakashi had become Hokage and as his chief aide Iruka had been in charge of all of the preparations. The food, the drinks, the decorations, the Christmas tree – even the massive pile of presents for the children of the village. Everything. It had been one of the most stressful undertakings of his entire life, and he had a few white hairs to prove it.

Even now, with the party in full swing, he couldn't relax. His overly organized nature – what Kakashi often called his control freak tendencies – wouldn't turn off. As the man's husband he wanted everything about this party to add lustre to Kakashi's tenure as Hokage so he was kept busy, bustling back and forth between the kitchens, the bar, the reception rooms, even checking that the bathrooms stayed clean and stocked with necessary supplies. If he had slowed down at all he would have noticed that the caterer kept glaring at him, the head bartender looked fit to kill, the custodial staff was reduced to angry mutterings, and his personal ANBU guard seemed ready to drop with exhaustion.

“Iruka-sensei.”

The quiet voice behind him stopped Iruka in his tracks as he was on his way to the storeroom to check on the supply of champagne. When he turned around he was surprised to see Gai; the lack of vocal volume, capital letters, and flowery speech had thrown him off. The jounin was out of his wheelchair, walking with the assistance of a cane that was, unsurprisingly, a bright shade of green.

“Gai-san,” Iruka acknowledged him with a nod. “Is there something you need?”

Gai shook his head, the tiniest smile tilting his lips. “I was just in the Holly & Ivy room,” he said, smiling growing a little wider. “I believe the Hokage is looking for you.”

One hand flew to his head, smoothing back stray hands of hair and making sure his ponytail was still neat and properly tied. Then with a murmured apology Iruka hurried off, making his way to the room that Gai had mentioned. But there was no sign of a shaggy head of silver hair. There were a number of familiar faces, though, and Iruka made his way through the crowd to where two of them were standing.

“Hmmm, yeah, he was here a bit ago, and he was definitely looking for you,” Genma said in response to Iruka's question. “I think he said he was. . .” He reached out and tapped Kurenai's shoulder. “Where did Kakashi say he was going when he left?”

“The White Christmas room,” Kurenai replied. She smiled at Iruka. “You should hurry; he seemed like he needed to speak to you urgently.”

But Kakashi wasn't there either, and Ebisu and Raidou sent him to Winter Wonderland. Again, no Kakashi. Kotetsu opined that he might have gone on to Blue Christmas, but Izumo was certain the Hokage had mentioned Let It Snow. Frustrated, Iruka slipped away from the crowds and into a empty, and blessedly silent, corridor. Once there he focused his senses until he could detect Kakashi's chakra, then made his way to Deck The Halls.

He stood in the doorway, scanning the room, and feeling a niggling disappointment when he couldn't find his husband. But then a pair of warm, strong arms wrapped around his waist from behind and one hand pointed up. Iruka lifted his eyes and was unsurprised to find a large arrangement of mistletoe hanging directly above his head. He smiled, leaning back against the hard body behind his and covering Kakashi's hands where they rested at his waist.

“It was on purpose, wasn't it?” he murmured. “That entire wild goose chase you had our friends orchestrate.”

The fabric of Kakashi's mask rubbed against Iruka's cheek as he nodded. “Well, you wouldn't slow down and relax. I had to corner you somehow.”

Iruka turned around to face his husband. “Under the mistletoe?” he asked with a smile. “How very cliché, Kakashi.”

Kakashi rubbed their noses together. “It worked, though.” Even through the mask his grin was visible.

“Oh, definitely,” Iruka agreed as he hooked a finger in the bright red mask.

Their kiss was met with cheers and a smattering of applause from the shinobi gathered in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all who celebrate have a Merry Christmas! :D


	25. New Year's Kiss

“Dammit, Kakashi, hurry up! We're going to be late!”

Kakashi came into the bedroom where Iruka was tying up his hair in what they jokingly referred to as “the formal ponytail” (in reality a proper topknot), still in his bathrobe. Iruka scowled, meeting his husband's eyes in the mirror. “You're not even dressed yet!” he all but yelped.

“Stop fretting, 'ruka,” he said with a smile. “We're not going to be late because we're not going anywhere.”

One of Iruka's hands slipped and a thick lock of auburn hair fell from the knot, dropping down to his shoulder. The burnished color stood out brilliantly against the midnight blue of his formal haori, drawing Kakashi's eyes like a magnet. That look may as well have been an intimate touch.

“Wha. . . What do you mean?” Iruka stuttered, feeling rather breathless. “We promised Shikamaru and Temari we'd attend their New Year's Eve party.”

Kakashi stepped close and took hold of that lock of hair, letting it glide between two of his fingers. “ _You_ promised,” he said. “And the next day I took it back.”

Iruka dropped his hands and let all of his hair fall. “Why?” he asked, knowing he sounded vaguely petulant, but he had been looking forward to this party for weeks.

“Iruka,” Kakashi began, voice dropping to a husky growl. “All year long I've shared you with other people. On your birthday it was Naruto, Sakura, and the rest of their gang. On Founder's Day it was the entire village. My birthday? Pretty much every person of any consequence whatsoever in the Land of Fire. And the least said about Christmas the better!” He pushed his hands into his husband's hair and cradled his face, angling it just right. “Can't I have just one holiday to be with you, and only you?”

“Kakashi. . .” Iruka breathed. His heart felt almost too full at the romantic declaration. And when Kakashi's thumbs started to stroke across his cheeks his breath caught on a near-whimper. “Kiss me, please,” he gasped out.

It was a gentle contact, at first. Light, almost teasing. But when Iruka let his tongue flutter across the seam of his husband's lips it became much, much more in a gratifyingly short amount of time. And Kakashi's kiss swallowed the chuunin's groan as their bodies came together, hips colliding with a wonderful friction.

Iruka slid his hands inside the bathrobe and across the plane of Kakashi's chest, grinning against the other's mouth when the muscles jumped under his touch. Kakashi retaliated by dragging his lips down and suckling gently at the soft skin on the underside of Iruka's chin. His hands dispensed with the haori; the soft whisper of silk as it hit the floor barely audible above their increasingly strained breathing.

“You're overdressed,” Kakashi whispered as he made short work of the sash on his husband's kimono, Iruka groaning at each inadvertent brush of hands on his growing hardness.

“Bed - _Ahhh!_ \- 'kashi. . .”

Kakashi didn't reply with words, just fell back onto the bed, bringing Iruka with him, straddled across his hips.

****~**~**~**~**~****

At ten minutes to midnight they rose from the bed, wrapped themselves in blankets, and made their way to the garden. They sat on their favorite bench, the one that offered a wide view of the village all the way to the Hokage Mountain, Iruka settled sideways on Kakashi's lap, head tucked comfortably under the other man's chin. It was a clear night, and they could easily hear the revelers in the village center counting down. When the first fireworks lit up the sky Iruka lifted his head to meet Kakashi's eyes, one hand cupping his chin.

“Happy New Year, Kakashi,” he whispered as he drew his beloved in for a kiss.


End file.
